The tale of the lancha perdida...and Aladdin.

Reportaje número 3, el 6-8 de Octubre

I started out on the morning of October the sixth bright and chipper (no easy feat at 4:45 in the morning, mid you), ready to throw myself into the beginning of my first entirely regular week in Santa Rosa. After walking a few blocks form my apartment here in Puno, stuffing myself into a combi (the Andean version of a Mexican colectivo, a van with a common destination and route that will pick you up and drop you off wherever on that route for a small fee), I found myself in Capachica where I could take a quick boat to Amantaní. Don´t get me wrong, it´s not that I don’t enjoy stopping and seeing the Uros, but taking this lancha would only be about a 45 minute journey. In comparison with the three and half or more hours on a tourist boat, it is a true time bargain. Once the van stopped in the main plaza of Capachica, I took a small mototaxi down to the beach from where the lancha would leave. By this time, 6:35ish, I thought I was making good time—the boat wasn’t supposed to leave until 7am. Or, so I thought.

At 7:00, I started to worry that I was the only person waiting: this method of arriving to the island is the most popular with its residents. At 7:30, I knew something was wrong.

I started my trek back to the town. Now, usually, the weather this time of year around the lake is quite beautiful. Blue skies, perhaps a little rain in the afternoon, a good breeze: everything needed for a great boat ride; everything that makes a several kilometers uphill hike with 5 liters of water and several books a little bit of torture. No worries. I made it in the end. After taking a wrong turn and spending 2 hours walking back the long way, I made it.

Without the things on my back, the walk itself would have been a very great experience. I was spending time on a part of the lake where I’d never been right after the first rain of the season. The farmers and their whole families were outside planting and tilling their crops with a sense of urgency brought about by the tardy rains and the impending storm that would hit that afternoon as I took a combi back to to Puno.

My trip to the island the next day took place on a tourist boat, purely out of my own frustration. I arrived to Santa Rosa at 1:30pm and headed straight to the library. Happily, I found everything in pristine condition. I planned out my afternoon lesson and headed to my host’s home for lunch. Following the delicious and protein-filled quinoa soup, my host family’s daughter, Celia, accompanied me to the library. On the way, she stopped at several of her friend’s house to recruit them to the 4 o’clock session. Unfortunately, many of the children, especially the older ones, had to be outside helping the parents. It wasn’t only in Capachica that it had rained and everybody everywhere on the island was planting.

With the turnout of 7, we were still able to have great fun. Together we took turns spelling each other’s names and drawing them with fun markers to later post on the walls of the library. I thought that the bright names could make the space brighter and give the children a sense of ownership in their community’s library. After the name exercise, we read the story of Aladdin. The discussion that followed was truly enlightening. Everyone really enjoyed the story, but many children didn´t know what a lamp was, let alone a genie. To help with reading comprehension and to gain a better understanding of the children, we each drew what we most would want from a genie. The two best answers or, at least, the two that most interested me: watermelon and deciduous trees. Go figure.

To end our time together, we played ¨Simón dice¨ (Simon says) to the great fun of all. I’ve noticed that every time I go to the island the kids are less shy and I have a better rapport with them. I can barely wait for next Monday! But, this time, no lancha, thank you.